Scott Brooks is loyal to his players, and they seem to love him for it. His dedication flies in the face of trends, statistics, and know-it-all internet columnists. Sometimes the blogosphere's smirking obscures analysis of the legitimate question: how much has Brooks' faith in his usual starting lineup cost his team?
Thunder observers most often question Brooks' insistence on giving Kendrick Pe...

In a Western Conference Semifinal series that started less than 48 hours after each participant closed out its first-round opponent, anxious moments were inevitable. The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 1 by handling those anxious moments with slightly cooler heads.
The semifinalists showed clear effects of their recent draining series, combining for probably the worst-p...

After four nerve-wracking contests (two wins, two losses) that almost broke their collective will, the Oklahoma City Thunder put together a solid enough effort to finally dispose of the eighth-seeded Houston Rockets. The West's top seed pulled away thanks to two related factors.
Defense Decides: In the first quarter, the Thunder gave up at least seven points with indecisive or too-slow rotation...

After failing their first two tests against elite Western Conference foes, the Oklahoma City Thunder managed to defeat a truly formidable rival on Wednesday night. Their adoring home fans and a national ESPN audience saw them outlast the Los Angeles Clippers in overtime, but even this triumphant moment was fraught with worrisome undercurrents.
Since most of those questions have followed the tea...

A night removed from a gut-wrenching loss in which old demons resurfaced, the Oklahoma City Thunder looked like a new team in their home opener. The 106-92 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers exorcized a fair amount of demons for a two-game-old season.
Old teammate James Harden continued to haunt the Thunder, scoring 45 points against Atlanta to bring his average as a Houston Rocket to a ti...

The game-ending image was as gut-wrenching as it was recognizable: Dwyane Wade crouched at the free throw line, calmly draining two shots to close out the team in blue, whose faces comprised a collective photo essay titled “Heartbreakingly Close.”
Game 3 of the 2012 NBA Finals resembled Games 3 and 5 of the 2006 Finals in ways both superficial, as noted above, and more deeply signif...

Announcers and journalists overuse the phrase “game of a lifetime” when reviewing athletic performances. It can only truly apply to players who reach heights that they will never again attain.
Tonight, Serge Ibaka played the game of a lifetime.
His jump shot, overrated as a weapon by announcers who don't see him often, looked flawless, piercing the net every time he launched it. His...

So . . . Serge Ibaka wasn't the answer?
One game after pundits, fans, and possibly family members questioned him for leaving his All-Defensive First Team force on the bench, Oklahoma City Thunder coach Scott Brooks gave Ibaka 39 minutes. Those minutes produced 8 points, 10 rebounds (5 offensive), 4 blocks, and 0 wins.
It's not fair to rest the Thunder's 0-2 deficit in the Western Conference Fin...

For two games, the Oklahoma City Thunder have chosen the path of greater resistance.
In 48 hours, they have won one playoff game by 2 and lost another by 3, each time expending far more energy than strictly necessary against a game opponent who no longer seems overmatched.
The Thunder had been running between raindrops for at least the past two contests of the Western Conference Semifinals, and...

As premature proclamations go, this is a strong one: Thunder fans are watching the best series of the 2012 postseason.
Two brutally hard-fought contests have thus far resembled a boxing match, with the aging defending champs absorbing blow after blow from their upstart challengers. Or perhaps a Shakespeare tragedy, with soul-baring soliloquies from the stars occasionally interspersed with low-c...

On a night when the marquee Oklahoma City-Miami matchup put the NBA's brightest stars on display, whose song titles would be more appropriate than Ziggy Stardust himself, David Bowie? Try it out before passing judgement.
God Knows I'm Good: The Thunder front office should send everyone with an MVP vote a tape of Kevin Durant's first half. The perfect catch-and-shoot jumpers are familiar by thi...

The Oklahoma City Thunder haven't solved their defensive issues. That's unfortunate, because it became obvious tonight that they are not a championship-level team on that end.
There is ample anecdotal evidence to support this claim, but two stat lines from OKC's 114-105 loss to San Antonio paint the clearest picture.
Danny Green: 8-12 FG, 5-7 3pt, 21 pts
DeJuan Blair: 11-15 FG, 22 pts
Blair bro...